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Maddon, Banister selected Managers of the Year

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2015, file photo, Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister smiles as he listens to a question during a news conference in Arlington, Texas. Jeff Bannister has been selected the AL Manager of the Year after leading the Texas Rangers to a division title in his first season on the job. Bannister got 17 first-place votes for 112 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in balloting announced Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File) FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2015, file photo, Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister smiles as he listens to a question during a news conference in Arlington, Texas. Jeff Bannister has been selected the AL Manager of the Year after leading the Texas Rangers to a division title in his first season on the job. Bannister got 17 first-place votes for 112 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in balloting announced Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

By Associated Press November 17, 2015 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Joe Maddon has won his third Manager of the Year award, earning his first in the NL after guiding the Chicago Cubs to their first postseason berth since 2008.

Maddon got nine first-place votes for 124 points from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in balloting announced Tuesday.

Maddon becomes the seventh manager to win the award three times and the seventh to earn it in both leagues. He won the AL award with Tampa Bay in 2008 and ’11.

With NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant anchoring a youthful lineup, Maddon’s Cubs won 97 games, good for third-best record in the majors this year – and third place in the Central. Chicago beat Pittsburgh in the wild-card game before losing to the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series.

Texas’ Jeff Banister was given the AL honor, the fifth first-year big league manager to win the award.